Windows 8 Users Can No Longer Boot Straight To The Desktop, Must Start With Metro

The Windows 8 RTM leak has coincided with numerous articles around the Internet that detail the new features and the Windows 8 Style UI once known as Metro. It seems that a new setup process and the removal of Aero Glass were not the only big aesthetic changes. With the new build came several alleged tweaks by Microsoft that prevent several methods for automatically booting to the desktop. Group Policy tweaks and a autorun shortcut were two such methods–that worked on early beta builds but no longer work on the RTM–to skip past the Metro/Windows 8 Style UI Start Screen, according to Rafael Rivera of Windows 8 Secrets.

Previously, users could login and be automatically taken to the desktop. They would still see the Metro screen, but only for a split second. Now, users wanting to do this are back to square one, and will have to manually launch the desktop each time they login to their computers.

It is not all bad news, however (well, at least not as bad). If you drag the desktop Metro Windows 8 Style UI tile to the top-left corner, as soon as you login, you can hit the Enter key to go to the desktop. It is a less automatic way than has been previously possible, but it is better than nothing.

You can find more information about the alleged changes to the RTM here, as well as more PC Perspective Windows 8 coverage by following the windows 8 tag.

Some speculation and opinion follows:

It seems that Microsoft is taking a very firm position on Windows 8’s new Start Screen interface and full screen applications. While it is likely that developers and enthusiasts are working on new tweaks to get to the desktop automatically again, I foresee this being a drawn out tit-for-tat battle between Microsoft and its users. Beyond the new interface, this stance of working against customization is something I have not seen before on this level, as previous operating system have had numerous tweaking utilities and Microsoft did not seem to have a problem with them. My only guess is that they believe by forcing users to use Windows 8 Style UI as much as it possibly can, it will get users used to, and accepting of, the interface faster (essentially trying to get users over the radical interface change as quickly as possible–ike ripping a bandaid off). And if I let the cynical side get the best of me, Microsoft does have a vested interest in keeping users on the Metro/Windows 8 Style interface as much as possible as they want users to buy Metro apps and not use traditional applications. They are selling the upgrades for $40 and likely want to “make up” the money (compared to selling prices of previous versions) by taking a cut of Windows Store app purchases. The company’s insistence on forcing usage is only going to hurt them, I fear, as people who are on the fence about Metro–but who are interested in the other improvements–likely want to come to the new interface on their own terms (if at all). Actively working against users trying to use and customize their operating systems may well cost them a few sales. It would seem to me that Microsoft should be welcoming anyone that wants to use Windows 8, even if they do not want to stay in (or use at all) the Metro interface but that's just my opinion and apparently Microsoft is of a different mind.

Whether you love, hate, or feel somewhere in-between on Windows 8 Style UI, options are not a bad thing. I do think that more people would be willing to give Microsoft’s new interface a chance if it was more optional than it is. What do you think?

What do I think? Windows 8 sucks BIG time... Praying for Windows 8 failure. It's Vista 2.0 but even worse. No more good desktop UI effects. The "Desktop" interface looks like a downgrade rather then a upgrade. I am not upgrading at all.
I have never been a person who disliked any new past windows version (even Vista) but this one sucks. My desktop is not a damn Tablet.. Why take past failed platforms (Example: Windows Phone) and put the look and feel to a Good platform (Windows).

a week ago i would forsure agree with you, i recently downloaded windows 8 though and its major upgrade. My start time is more than 2x as quick and overall it runs way smoother. There are so many good feautres too. Like Xbox music and xbox games and Skydrive.

The New Vista.......
Nobody will want to use it.......
Windows 7 was a success because its quick and "Works"
Windows Metro is a gimmick that people have not asked for and
is being stuffed down peoples throats......Indeed who the heck wants a touch interface when 99.9% of PC's don't have expensive touch screen monitors. What company is going to replace their monitors when the can keep Windows 7.

Metro is for tablets. Let them boot up in it and let PC users decide for themselves.

My hatred of Windows 7 has nearly 40,000 views. http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=467280 I hate that Windows classic was taken out and I'm forced to either use Aero glass, or Aero glass with no transparency and Windows classic colors.

I hate flashy operating system stuff. I have zero tolerance for applications that do not multitask and share the screen with other applications. I constantly lose programs I've installed because the Windows 7 start menu is designed for a very small set of programs - or you're supposed to remember what an obscure program you only need once in a blue moon is called rather than being able to list everything out where you can see it.

Metro sounds horrible. I am not looking forward to it. I've not done a VM. Where do I need to go to download a legal copy to examine it for myself?

Hi wolvenmoon, you can check out our Windows 8 Consumer Preview guide which is the latest legal beta that you can install and check out for yourself. I go through all the setup and such for a VM but you can do it on real hardware as well :)

Why does Microsoft have such little respect for my time that they force me to learn different ways to do things I already know how to do? Arrogance is never a winning tactic. Get rid of the office ribbon, and let me have the classic desktop. Even the Linux desktop crowd have gotten into the act with Gnome 3, AKA hide and seek.

Cars all have the gas pedal on the right, and the brake on the left. Coincidentally, Microsoft makes none of them.

So, the #1 complaint of Windows 8 is that it doesn't work well on a desktop... so MS makes it harder to use on a desktop. Nice. Way to go on taking yet another step forward in setting up a Vista like scenario on the desktop. You clearly don't learn from your mistakes.

A decade ago, you forced a desktop experience onto a tablet. It failed miserably because it was hard to use. Today, you're forcing a tablet experience onto the desktop. It will also fail for the same reason. It's 2012. Figure it out, OS's should be smart enough to be device context aware and provide an experience accordingly.

i tried to setup windows 8 that came pre installed on a laptop. What the F@@#$(*(&t^*CK. I never was so frustrated . I deleted win8 and win 7 works like a charm. Stupid people working for microsoft are all retarded.

Yup MS has f*cked up big time with this one. What they have done is tried to create an OS that works in all environments. PC, Laptop, tablet, phone. In theory very plausible provided you give the consumer customised options eg. Is this a desktop? Do you want all this gay metro crap? Do you have a brain? Do you work for a living? provided you answer the questions correctly you would end up with a hard core OS. Instead they have assumed that we all f&ck around on our iPhones/Androids all day, we all use tablets (yeah right, I'm a frigging accountant!) and given us an OS that doesn't operate very well on any hardware. All in one products always tend to be disasters. They do everything badly. One important point. They have also all assumed we want to be Apple users where you have zero control over what your computer is doing. It just assumes things for you. In a nusthell the OS is not only bad it's downright insulting. IMHO they have gone completely in the wrong direction. The direction should have been simple, effective, absolute user control. Get rid of all the bloatware crap unless you want it. Nope this is populist consumerism at its worst. I will NEVER buy this product. I will go Linux before I use something so downright pathetic as Windows 8.

Geezez Don't get me started on Microsoft. MS Office 2003 was PERFECT. Could perform numerous tasks in the blink of an eye. Simple easy drop down menu. That must have bored some of the bubble gummers at MS. Apparently we now need to be amused by completely unintelligible ribbons. Now I have Office 2010. OMG!!! What a heap of crap. Now it takes minutes or even hours to do the simplest tasks and the ribbon takes up half the G_d Damn screen. Duhhhh it's spreadsheet you MS Morons! Zero understanding of their market. No frigging clue. Open Office here I come! and it's free. F&CK YOU MICROSOFT!!!